1. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL NERC Data Policy Why NERC considers data management an important activity. Mark Thorley

2. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL Natural Environment Research Council Science budget 2005/06 – c.£370M Four wholly owned Research Centres: –British Antarctic Survey; –British Geological Survey; –Centre for Ecology and Hydrology; –Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory. Collaborative centres, including the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton.

3. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL Why Data Management? NERC must have data available to support its mission – research, survey and monitoring. Many environmental data irreplaceable. Supports science base sustainability. In short - NERCs data holdings are one of NERCs core assets.

4. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL Other Drivers RCUK Position Statement on Access to Research Outputs. OECD Principles. PSRE sustainability and exploitation. Good scientific practice. But, must reflect the scientific need.

5. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL NERC Data Policy - Background Policy and handbook – version 1, 1996. Pulled together and formalised good practice already within NERC. Covers life-cycle of data from collection to disposal.

6. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL NERC Data Policy – Elements Plan data management before doing the science. –The bigger the project the more this must be demonstrated. Data collected under NERC funding must be offered to NERC at end of project. PIs allowed a reasonable time for first use. NERC will licence and charge for data depending on use. Support for bona fide academic and public good use.

7. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL Obligations PIs expected to manage their data effectively during the life of their project to enable appropriate exploitation. NERC will manage the data for the long-term, post project, to enable effective, post project exploitation.

8. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL Infrastructure to Support Policy Seven designated data centres responsible for NERCs data assets. AEDC, BADC, BODC, EIC, NEODC, NGDC & NWA. Plus programme centres, eg. NEBC. Long-term commitment supported by Science Information Strategy.

9. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL Examples of Benefit Nationally consistent data sets: –eg. geological hazards, flood risk. Provision of data to the community: –eg: BADC access to Met Office data. Time series for studies of change: –eg: ozone, oceanographic profiles.

10. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL Vision for the Future More nationally consistent data sets. Seamless access to NERCs data via the NERC Data Grid. Data journals – publication and citation of data. Science Information Strategy helps set vision and direction.

11. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL Further information NERC: www.nerc.ac.ukwww.nerc.ac.uk Data Centres & Data Policy: www.nerc.ac.uk/data www.nerc.ac.uk/data NERC Data Grid: ndg.badc.rl.ac.ukndg.badc.rl.ac.uk Mark Thorley, NERC Data Management Coordinator. mrt@nerc.ac.uk